A qualitative exploration of the parenting experiences of ex-military fathers diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Abstract

The experience of post-traumatic stress has been implicated in adverse outcomes for trauma-exposed parents and their children. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how ex-military service (veteran) fathers who had received a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience and make sense of parenthood, their role as a father, and the parent-child relationship. Ten ex-military fathers from the UK who had been diagnosed with PTSD engaged in interviews which were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The analysis resulted in four themes; ‘Not always being the father I want to be’, ‘Striving to protect’, ‘Developing insight and understanding’, and ‘Protective influence of children’. These themes captured participants’ experiences of the perceived negative impact of PTSD symptoms on parenting and an evolving view of the self as a parent in relation to this, taking action to protect children from distress and harm, the importance of developing insights and understanding both personally and within parent-child relationships, and the distracting and motivating influence of children and enjoyment of the parenting role despite the challenges experienced in the context of a PTSD diagnosis. Findings are discussed in relation to the extant literature, and clinical and research implications are outlined.